Intermission
by navybrat102
Summary: Short one shot during Gibbs' season 3 hiatus- Just a small insight into Tony and Ziva's nights at his apartment and the mostly innocent nature of them.


**Hello! Haven't been managing to get writing much lately as life happens but some things are in the works. Here's a quick one I wrote for Tony and Ziva fans to tide people over. NB: Wasn't 100% sure on the choices of movie but I went with it anyway!**

She'd felt sorry for him in recent days. She knew Tim was struggling with getting used to Tony being in charge and as much as Tony himself was being a pain in the ass, she knew it was only because he had such big shoes to fill. Gibbs had upped and left them and they had all had to accept it. Tony had taken it the hardest, even more so than Jenny, but he had stepped up and taken on the team despite his hurt he was doing an expert job of hiding. Tim had been acting out a little because he felt Tony was being too full on, trying to replace Gibbs and Abby was inclined to agree so that left Ziva to try and bridge the gap between them all.

It was working to an extent. After having words with him Tony had been trying to stop being too much like Gibbs, and Tim had been trying hard to not be an ass back to him after he and Ziva had a long conversation about their current circumstances. Tim was simply missing Gibbs, similarly, way more than he was letting on, and after Ziva had told him in no uncertain terms that he was not the only one, he had tried to back off and give Tony a bit of leeway. For Tony she was just trying to be a good friend, remind him he was doing a good job and keeping him from flipping out at Tim when he really wanted to. Tonight was no different.

He expected the knock on his door like clockwork, though tonight he didn't want it. It had been a difficult few days, case after case, then a particularly rough case, Tim playing up in his tired state, Abby being pissy with him because he forgot her caf-pow and _Gibbs_ never would have, and now he wanted nothing more than to wallow in whiskey and self-pity. It was no wonder Gibbs did so often. Or had done. Who knows what Gibbs was up to now. Her furious knocking was accompanied by her voice this time.

"Tony you know I won't leave, I can stay here and keep knocking all night."

Tony sat silent and contemplated the repercussions of ignoring her.

"Or I could sing?"

"Ok, ok, I'm coming damn it."

He glanced backwards at the half empty whiskey bottle and the glass perched on the coffee table and groaned inwardly at the lecture he'd likely get before he opened the door.

She stood on the other side, concerned but a smile curving at her lips. Her hair was loose, not like it had been at work that day, and fell in waves around her shoulders making her eyes stand out just that little bit more. In his foggy state he couldn't help but notice how truly beautiful Ziva David was. That didn't stop him being grouchy.

"What?" He gritted.

"Is that any way to speak to a guest?"

"Generally guests are invited."

Ziva shrugged.

"Some of the best guests I ever had were unannounced."

"Sure." Tony rolled his eyes.

"Are you going to let me in or am I going to have to eat chow mein and drink warm wine by myself?" She raised an eyebrow along with her hand holding a takeout bag.

She pulled her face into a sad expression, jutting her lip out and giving him her best puppy dog eyes until even he couldn't help but smile a little.

"I guess it would be a waste." He shrugged, holding the door open for her.

She eyed the coffee table bottle with disdain but walked quickly into the kitchen without saying a word, pulled out two wine glasses and grabbed the bag of food before heading to the couch. He had slumped back down without much concern for what she was doing and flicked the volume back on the TV. Ziva dropped into the empty space next to him, poured herself a glass of wine and passed him a box of food. He refilled his own tumbler with whiskey.

"Did you get-"

"Forks." She finished, passing him one from the bag. "I remembered."

Tony took it with a smile remembering the last time she had showed up with Chinese and he had quite the time trying to use chopsticks.

"So what are we watching tonight?"

"Silence of the lambs."

"You were watching silence of the lambs by yourself?"

Tony shrugged.

They ate in companionable silence, Tony finishing his glass of whiskey before starting on a glass of wine while Ziva watched the film, shivering each time Lecter came on the screen.

"Gosh that guy gives me the creepings."

"Creeps."

Tony felt himself smirk, the thought of someone like Ziva David being creeped out by Hannibal Lecter seemed almost alien to him. Based on her background he would've thought it more likely she kidnap and torture him than run a mile.

"Whatever, can we watch something else Tony?"

"Sure. I've seen this loads anyway. You pick something."

Ziva scrolled through the film listings, skipping past ones that Tony made a funny choking noise to each time she paused, until she found one that she hadn't seen in a long while.

"Ghost." Tony looked at her. "Such a girl." He smirked.

"Shut up Tony, you said yourself you liked this one."

"Yeah well Patrick Swayze was brilliant, some of his best, and Whoopi Goldberg's acting is seriously on point, I mean she brings the whole thing together with the comedy and the tragedy and,"

"So I can play it yes."

"If you must."

They settled for the next half hour or so, the bottle of wine fast disappearing and Tony fetching another from the kitchen before he said anything about work.

"Did you speak to McGee today?"

"No, should I have?"

"I was just wondering, I know he talks to you about my boss skills."

Ziva hesitated.

"He might have said something about you riding him all day for phone records that he couldn't get a hold of."

"Didn't try to get a hold of he means." Tony muttered. "Bet if it was Gibbs who asked,"

Tony stopped himself and drained his glass, immediately topping it and Ziva's own glass up.

"He misses him Tony, we all miss him."

"Yeah well he's not here is he, so it would help if McGee would stop acting like he's on holiday."

Ziva paused the movie and turned to him to show he had her full attention.

"McGee just wants what we all want."

"Well what we want and what is happening are two very different things Zee," he snapped. "Besides, even Ducky hasn't heard a thing from him."

"Ducky is upset and angry, we all know that,"

"Yeah well we can start a club."

"Jenny has not given up on him. She believes he will come back when he's ready."

"Jenny's deluded."

"Well I agree with her."

"You're deluded too."

"He is still Gibbs Tony."

"He's not Gibbs like we know, and you know that."

"I think he just needs time. He has been through a lot."

Tony snorted, drinking deeply from his glass.

"Aint we all."

Ziva gave him a minute to breath.

"You are doing brilliantly Tony." She spoke softly.

Tony stared glassy eyed into the bottom of his wine.

"Sure." He murmured.

"Hey," she reached her hand out and squeezed his arm. "He would be proud of you."

Tony looked up to make eye contact with her.

"Ziva, he didn't even fully remember who we were."

Ziva felt her heart sink at the tortured look on his face. They had all grown closer as a consequence of Gibbs' absence. She and Tim, Tim and Abby, she and Tony- the only two it seemed hadn't yet were Tony and Tim- and there had been several nights where they had talked, about family, about NCIS, about Tim. Occasionally they would mention Gibbs, though they never stayed on the topic for too long, and they never discussed the last day he had seen them all, because who wanted to remember that their boss and father-figure had forgotten they even existed. Their conversations had made it clear to her how insecure Tony was when it came to fathers, his own had been borderline abusive, the very least neglectful, when he was a child and it was obvious he had come to think of Gibbs as something close to everything he had never had. Ziva had shared her own stories of family and the disfunction of her life, her desire to break away from the curse of the David name Tony now saw every time she walked through the doors of NCIS.

"Tony, it is not his fault. None of it is his fault. And it's not yours either."

"Tell Tim that." He turned back to the wine.

"Tim knows. He doesn't show it, he plays up and can be an ass, but you have to remember Tony, while you went from senior agent to boss, we went from having our friend who would make jokes and pull pranks on us to having him ordering us around in a Gibbs-eske version of himself. It has been a tough month and a half."

Tony sighed.

"I hate him."

"You don't mean that, it's not his fault and he really hasn't been as bad as that Tony."

"I meant Gibbs, Zee."

"Oh. Well you don't mean that either."

"No, but I kinda wish I did."

Ziva squeezed his thigh while he pulled the top of the wine once more. They were going through it faster than the first and she could feel her own head going fuzzy, she only imagined Tony's fuelled with whiskey as well.

"We all miss him."

"If it had been another way, would you all miss me?"

"Of course we would, who would we enjoy watching get headslapped if you weren't around?" She smirked.

Tony's mouth twitched.

"I'm being serious."

"If it had have been you who got a knock to the head and almost died and then forgot everything from the last who knows who many years would we miss you? Well, it depends, what were you like before you joined NCIS?"

"Depends who you ask." He almost smiled.

"I asked you."

"I was headstrong, a little arrogant I guess, great cop though, high arrest record, ladies man,"

"So some similarities."

"I'm curious as to which parts you're referring to."

"Oh wouldn't you like to know." She grinned, teasing him.

Tony pulled the glass of wine from her hand and set both on the table in front of them before leaning back resting his arm on the top of the couch.

"So, clearly I'm still a ladies man and a great cop, so, arrogance?"

"Oh yeah, sure." She rolled her eyes and made to grab for her glass back. Tony caught her arm mid-air.

"You think I _am_ arrogant." He asked in mock shock.

"No not at all, but you are a good cop that I will admit, and I mean clearly you are still a _sex machine_." She winked.

Tony froze.

"I'm gunna kill McGee."

Ziva laughed.

"C'mon Tony, let me finish my wine."

"Nuh," he caught her arm once more. "Not until you answer a question."

"Ok."

"What would you miss most about me?"

"Oh, definitely your incessant movie references."

"Shows knowledge." He moved to catch her from taking the glass once more.

"Your wit and charm without a doubt."

"Good qualities."

"Your butt for sure."

"I do have a good butt."

"Modesty,"

"Of course."

"Is that enough?"

"Yeah I guess." He shrugged and passed her the glass of wine while hit play to resume the film.

"Feel better?" She chuckled.

"Much." He grinned.

She knew his façade, knew, especially when he'd been drinking, he got particularly insecure about his abilities as a boss and occasionally, though not very often did it get mentioned, himself.

They both sighed back into the couch, shoulder to shoulder, Tony's hand absentmindedly dropped to her thigh, but she made no indication of noticing, nor caring. They watched the remainder of the movie almost in silence, finishing the second bottle of wine before it ended. By the time it was over Ziva's head was rested against Tony's shoulder and his hand was still on her thigh, his thumb making small circles while they sat. Ziva grudgingly checked the time, surprised to find it was still not quite midnight. Tony's eyes however were red and heavy when she looked at him so she decided it would be best to call it a night.

"I should go." She said while he flicked back to the TV and let an old episode of MacGyver he'd watched a dozen times before play.

"Yeah, getting late." He turned his head to look at her. "Unless you want to sleep here, couch is comfy, you brought the car right?"

"I can get a cab, it's no problem."

"This time on a Friday night."

"I'll take my chances." She grinned, taking out her cell.

"Zee," Tony had tugged the cell away before she even had a chance to unlock it and was now sitting upright, his face inches from hers. She could smell the whiskey on his breath mixed with the sweetness from the wine. "I wanted to say thank you, you know, for all of this."

"You don't have to thank me Tony."

"I know, but I wanted to. You cheer me up, even when I'm an ass, and you stroke my ego which always makes a guy feel better."

"Is that supposed to be a euphemism?" She raised an eyebrow at him.

Tony grinned.

"No, I was being serious."

"Well, what are friends for." She shrugged.

When she met his eyes she was struck for a second by how dark they looked in the lighting, fuelled with alcohol; he was quite drunk. She realised she'd been staring too long when his eyes darted away from hers and then back. She was only vaguely aware of his hand still on her thigh.

"You know, if I could take all the hurt I know you feel and make it so you were just happy I would." He frowned.

Ziva smiled softly at him, reaching a hand to his cheek.

"I am happy Tony, I have you all and that makes me happy. Besides, it is you who I think is the most hurt right now."

Tony half smiled back.

"I miss him Zee."

"I know Tony."

"Do you think he misses us?"

There was almost a childlike way in which he said it and the way his eyes glistened ever so slightly that almost choked her.

"I think he probably does, very much."

Tony dropped his head and closed his eyes and Ziva rested her forehead against his. She rolled her fingers through his hair, while his hand squeezed her thigh in return.

"Do you know," Tony murmured, pulling away slightly and stroking her hair back from her face. "How beautiful you are?"

"Tony,"

"I mean it."

Ziva felt herself blush, though it could also be to do with the amount of alcohol she'd consumed too. She locked eyes with Tony while he stroked his thumb across her cheek. He swayed towards her, dropping his eyes to her lips and stopping himself, almost unsure whether or not it would be ok. He hesitated too long though and lost any nerve he'd had so sighed and turned away, squeezing his eyes shut.

Carefully, she placed a kiss to his cheek, so light he could barely feel it, but the sensation sent a shiver down his spine. He pulled back away from her for a second, frowning, unsure whether she had meant to, but she wound a hand around his neck. His eyes were full of worry and lust and clouded just a little by the alcohol. She rolled her fingers through the back of his hair watching him struggle to comprehend what it was while she smiled gently at him. It wasn't a yes, but it wasn't a no either. He hesitated and then dropped to kiss her cheek too. When he pulled away she cocked her head to the side. He nodded.

"We should sleep."

"Yes, we should." She agreed, sighing while she ran her hand down his arm.

"You need a blanket?"

"I'll use the throw." She acknowledged.

For a brief second they both hesitated, Tony still hovering next to her, until she pushed him back and sat herself straight with a slight laugh.

"Get some sleep DiNozzo." She smiled.

He moved to fetch the throw from the top of the sofa and draped it over her, she thanking him with a smile. He paused once more on his way to the bedroom, looking back to her as she settled comfortably on the couch.

"Goodnight Zee."

"Goodnight Tony."


End file.
